gmonsen

DRM500RUBYZR1... I realize the C5 has a more modern semi-monoque body and all, but is it really that much better a driver than the C4? I had a first year C4 and really never found it in any way as crude as many would say today. I have a BMW 850 V12 6 spd, one of the cult E30 M3's, and a 3rd gen Rx7 with a 3 rotor. All very nice, but am close to buying a 90 ZR1. I can drive the 850 cruiser for comfort, but really drive only for pleasure these days. Some track days. I love the motor and never understand why anyone compares it to any of the other Vette motors, since I love the revs and sound and no other Vette motor comes close.

The C5's are so cheap for a low mile example and "fast enough". I could buy a nice convertible for $18,000 or so, sell the motor and put in a crate LS7 for a net $28-ish. Good move for style, comfort and performance, but it still would match the LT5 in any way, imho.

You upgraded your motor. Can you do that without hurting the longer term value or how its seen in judging? I have done the I want to be faster than anything thing already and the raw performance of the ZR1 with bolt-ons like headers, exhaust, intake, and chip, for instance should be a reasonable deal (and I'd just keep the original parts).

Any comments from anyone appreciated. Thanks.

Gordon

glass slipper

The C5 doesn't have a semi-monocoque (not monoque) body...none of the body panels are stressed. It does have a full frame with a "cage" for the passenger compartment. The C5 IS that much better of a driver than the C4...the International SAE awarded the C5 the best engineered car of the 20th century (yes, the whole century). Where the C4 chassis was a quantum leap in performance over the C3, the C5 chassis was a quantum leap in performance over the C4. The C4 design translated into much better performance on the track vs the C3 while the C5 design translated into much better performance on the street vs the C4. The C5 has one of the stiffest chassis in the world and there were many times I jacked my daughter's previous '99 coupe from one corner and got 3 wheels off the ground...and you could still open the doors, hatch, hood and remove the targa top. Don't try that with a C4, not even with one wheel off the ground.

Having said that, I'd still get a ZR-1.

tomtom72

......question Gordon.

The headers will mean points deducted at an NCRS meet, I don't know how much, and no one can see them from the top looking down into the engine room as it's just too crowded along the sides. Okay, seriously the one thing that is so sweet about an LT5 is that you can do a top end port and match job and do the cam timing correctly to newer settings. You can even put headers + a good cat back, and do a tune and a few other things and be right around 500 hp @ the crank. The thing I like the best is that there is no way to visually tell save the headers that anything has been done. Heck if you don't advertise you could do a bigger cube motor and from looking at the engine you would never know.

It's not like doing upgrades on an LSx series motor where you can see that the parts have been swapped out for improvements.....there are no aftermarket performance parts for an LT5 that you can get like new cams & heads & intakes, etc. Pure stealth is the mod pathway if you go that route.


Tom

gmonsen

Did understand the structure under the C5, just wasn't sure how to describe it. And too tired on "monoque". Didn't know of the award.

Ultimately, I love motors. My Rx7 revs to 12,000 and the little M3 motor does 8,000. The LT5 pulls 7,000-8,000 and has the kind of sounds that I love.

Gordon

USAFPILOT

My Vote is for the 90 ZR-1 or a 1970 LS5 454 Coupe with A/C and a 4speed.

carter200

The 70 is a sweet choice